Word processing and spreadsheets were the first killer applications for home computers when PCs began to spread to millions of homes. Then there were Internet browsers that surprised everyone. So what are the hot categories and hot products right now? There are now more products than ever for the home shopper and many of them are amazing. In fact, if I had wanted to, I could have made a top 100. The list is neither exhaustive nor scientific, but the products listed here are definitely great! If you have a computer at home, take a look at these products! I’ve looked through many, many different products and product categories to find the best website design software, so without further ado:

adobe dreamweaver 8 –

If you want to produce complex websites with e-commerce features such as shopping carts, real-time database interaction, website drop-down menus, and embedded multimedia, Dreamweaver is the optimal (albeit expensive) choice of web authoring tools. for Windows and Mac users Adobe Dreamweaver 8 is the darling of the professional web design community for its powerful features, including powerful support for Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and all major scripting languages. Critical reviews agree that while installation is a breeze and the user interface is so well organized that it gives the illusion of being easy, Dreamweaver is anything but easy. It is robust software developed for the most sophisticated web design and editing user. Ideal for professionals, but not recommended for beginners. I consider myself quite technically inclined and although I love Dreamweaver and wish I could use it, it’s almost impossible for me! Before you spend hundreds, be sure to check yourself out at the door, swallow your pride, and give it a try!

Coffee Cup Software –

Reviews say that CoffeeCup 2006 is a competent choice of website software for the everyday home or small business user. It is best for those looking for a much less expensive and intimidating product that still provides very impressive results. You don’t need a $400 program like Dreamweaver just to design simple and effective websites. CoffeeCup is easy to learn, with an excellent tutorial to suit beginners. Coffee Cup lacks advanced eCommerce features, so it’s best for home or simple business websites. You will still need a domain name and a web hosting service to publish your website.

adobe illustrator cs3-

With Adobe Illustrator CS3, the user can design illustrations for almost anything. Illustrator CS3 was designed with state-of-the-art drawing tools, color tools, and text controls to help you create and experiment with new ideas. Easy-to-use options allow you to spend less time on each project, which in turn improves performance and production. Adobe has integrated Illustrator to make it compatible with other Adobe programs.

Text editor UltraEdit 14 –

UltraEdit is the perfect text, HTML and HEX editor, and advanced PHP, Perl, Java and JavaScript editor for programmers. An industry award winner, UltraEdit supports disk-based (standard) 64-bit file handling on 32-bit Windows platforms (Windows 2000 and later). Powerful text editor, HEX, HTML, PHP and scheduler. Suitable for general text editing, programmers, web designers, binary editing, email and all your editing needs.

Smart FTP –

SmartFTP is an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client that allows you to transfer files between your local computer and a server on the Internet. With its many basic and advanced features, SmartFTP also offers secure, reliable, and efficient transfers that make it a powerful tool.

WebStudio 4.0 –

Now includes PayPal drag and drop shopping carts, Vista and Internet Explorer 7.0 compatibility, flash slideshows and text effects. Web Studio is easy-to-use web design software that enables anyone to produce professional-looking web pages in minutes. With web studio’s drag-and-drop interface, WYSIWYG design, and easy-to-use features, building a website is easy and exciting. And Web Studio’s fully integrated site hosting makes publishing a snap. Free website hosting is also available to help you preview your work online! Whether you need a business website or personal web pages, Web Studio is the web design software of choice.

Of course, there are plenty of other software out there, but these were the ones that got the highest marks for text editing, web design, logo editing, and ftp. One of the best sites to check out for more information on these and other programs available to the new designer or advanced designer is CNET. Good luck finding the best program to suit all your needs.